


A Goddamn King (the lavender's blue remix)

by frausorge



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Barrie Colts, M/M, Ottawa 67's
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 08:36:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10567620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frausorge/pseuds/frausorge
Summary: My own heart told me so.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dark_Eyed_Junco](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Eyed_Junco/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A Goddamn King](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6698770) by [Dark_Eyed_Junco](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Eyed_Junco/pseuds/Dark_Eyed_Junco). 



> Many thanks to darkrosaleen for beta reading this!

When Tyler was sixteen, a guy from his math class kissed him on the couch in his family's rec room. Matt didn't even play hockey, but he was cool and he'd helped Tyler catch up several times when Tyler had missed school for games. He became part of the group of guys who would converge in the basement for Xbox and the trays of snacks that Tyler's dad would provide. That afternoon the other guys had to leave early, but Matt and Tyler went on playing. Tyler looked up between games and found they'd shifted so close together that their thighs were touching. He glanced at Matt, and Matt turned to look back at Tyler. Then Matt tilted his head, leaned in, and kissed him.

Tyler liked it. Matt's mouth felt good on his, hot and bright and correct. They sat there making out until they heard footsteps in the kitchen and realized it was past time for Matt to head home for dinner.

The next day, when Matt walked into the classroom, he caught Tyler's eye and smiled, and Tyler grinned right back.

It wasn't easy to get time alone, with Tyler's house full of teammates and Matt's full of siblings, but they managed it a couple more times before the end of the schoolyear. Tyler got impatient first and moved his hand onto the curve of Matt's dick in his jeans. But it was Matt, the day Tyler got picked in the first round of the OHL draft, who slipped to the floor between Tyler's legs, said, "Congratulations!", and carefully took Tyler's cock into his mouth. Tyler wanted to try it too, but by the time he'd caught his breath Matt was already jerking off and on the verge of coming. His jizz landed on Tyler's bare stomach. Tyler laughed and leaned down to kiss him.

In June Matt's family moved away to Calgary. They texted each other for a while, but as the summer wore on, their conversations slowed and gradually faded away.

 

That fall Tyler went to Ottawa to start playing with the 67's. It was intense, and he didn't start off scoring at quite the pace he was aiming for, but he was at least holding his own, he thought, especially opposite the guys who had three or four years on him and height and weight to match.

He started hanging out more with one of the guys closer to his own age. Ryan sat next to Tyler regularly on the bus and began bringing his homework over to Tyler's billet so they could claim they'd studied.

Tyler finished his history worksheet and threw his textbook on the floor. "Done!" he said. 

"Must be nice," Ryan said. He was holding a novel he was supposed to be reading, but he hadn't turned very many pages.

"Wanna take a break?" Tyler said.

"Sure, what do you wanna do?"

Tyler cut a glance sideways; they were already sitting pretty close together. He nudged his knee over so that it was pressed against Ryan's. Ryan flinched away.

"What are you doing? You trying to bond with me or something?"

Tyler took a breath. "As if," he said. He turned aside to reach for his water bottle, shifting away from Ryan's weight. It probably would have been smarter just to drop it, but he couldn't help saying, "That doesn't even make sense. You can't, like, _try_ to make a bond. They just happen."

"Shows what you know," Ryan said.

Tyler scowled at him. "Whatever."

Ryan stood up and started shoving books into his backpack. "Anyway, I gotta head out," he announced. 

"See you at practice," Tyler said. Ryan nodded without meeting his eyes.

They still wound up next to each other on the bus sometimes, but Ryan stopped coming over to study.

 

The 67's went out in the first round of the playoffs, and Tyler went home for the summer to bother his sisters and play ball hockey.

 

In his second year in Ottawa, Tyler stepped up his scoring enough to feel like he was solidifying his place on the team. This group stuck together more too, especially on road trips.

The mood was high after a close-fought win in Belleville, and though everyone was exhausted, they all gathered in Corey's room at the hotel. Tyler accepted a cup that smelled like a grape popsicle and found himself a spot to sit where he could lean back against one of the beds. The other Tyler, Graovac, sitting next to him, took a quick drink and had to cough and splutter it back out again.

"Never have I ever drunk vodka before," Derek said, smirking and taking a long drink himself. Grao went red, and some of the other guys laughed.

"Never have I ever turned the puck over at the blue line," Petr said, glaring at Derek. Derek flushed red and took an uncomfortable swallow, along with pretty much everyone else.

"Step it up, boys, this is a weak-ass game so far. Never have I ever gotten my dick sucked," Marc said loudly, and immediately lifted his cup. Tyler smiled a little to himself in the midst of the following chatter, and drank as well.

Before the catcalls could die down, someone else yelled, "Never have I ever sucked a dick!" That caused even more commotion, groaning and hooting and scoffing all around. Nobody drank, though. Tyler held his own cup still on his knee, and it felt like a lie.

 

On another road trip a few weeks later, Tyler was trying to sleep after a game that hadn't gone nearly as well when he heard Grao sigh in the other bed. Grao had been moving around quite a bit, but Tyler had tried to ignore it, unsure whether Grao was just tossing and turning or having a nightmare or actually jerking off. The sigh cut into Tyler's attention, though. That was the sound of a guy starting to get close. Tyler turned over in his own bed and pulled the blanket over his ears.

"Hey Toff," Grao said, low but not whispering. "You awake?"

Tyler settled for answering with a wordless grunt.

"You wanna help each other out?"

"What?" Tyler said.

He heard the rustling of Grao getting up and crossing the space between the beds, and then felt his mattress shift as Grao sat down on the edge of it. "I just wanna get off," Grao said. "I'll do you if you do me. You wanna?"

Tyler pushed the blanket down and sat up. "Uh," he said. He felt a little blindsided, but on the other hand, Grao was cute enough- he might have noticed Tyler looking at him, come to think of it- and Tyler wasn't opposed to getting to mess around and get off. "Ok?"

"C'mon then," Grao said, and Tyler could hear that he was grinning. Grao pulled his own dick out through his boxers and started stroking it again. Tyler sat there still staring in the half-dark for another minute. Then he pulled himself together enough to move closer and wrap his hand over Grao's dick as Grao's own hand slid back. Grao let out a soft groan. 

Tyler spent the first minute or so experimenting, changing up his grip and speed, just trying to get a feel for what Grao liked. Then he started trying to push what he'd just learned. Grao had clearly been working himself up for a good while before, and it didn't take long before Grao gave one more groan and came all over Tyler's hand and forearm.

True to his word, Grao reached over as soon as he'd caught his breath and took Tyler's cock in hand. Tyler got the rest of the way hard fast. Grao was working him ruthlessly. Tyler slumped forward, resting his forehead against Grao's temple and pressing his lips to the edge of Grao's jaw. But Grao swayed away from him sharply, breaking the contact.

"Cut that shit out! You wanna end up bonded?"

"Wha'?" Tyler got out. But then Grao went back to jacking him, and Tyler figured he was better off trying to stay quiet than trying to figure out what to say.

 

They hooked up several more times after that, always on the road and always after curfew. Grao was completely unabashed about asking for it, but he also remained extremely skittish about letting Tyler touch him anywhere other than his dick.

"Would a bond be so bad?" Tyler couldn't help asking once, when Grao had shrugged Tyler's hand off his neck. "Some people say it could really make a difference on the ice, if it happens."

Grao made a face. "Maybe," he said. "But if you suddenly turn up bonded and you weren't before, they'll know what you did to get it. Then everyone will think you're- you know." 

Tyler blinked. "Gay?" he said.

"Keep your fucking voice down," Grao hissed. "Look, just- just drop it, ok?" And he wouldn't say any more.

 

Another time, Tyler was stroking Grao slowly and deliberately, listening to the gasps Grao made as he moved his hand, and decided he wanted more. So Tyler bent in close to the deep red head of Grao's dick. Grao's eyes flew open when he felt Tyler's breath. Tyler looked up through his lashes and said, "Can I?"

Grao squeeze his eyes tight shut again and mumbled, "ok."

Tyler opened his mouth and went down. He liked the shape and weight of Grao's cock, though he had to figure out how to make room in his mouth, how to move his head to make more room, and then how to do all of that a little faster. He wouldn't have claimed to be smooth or anything, but judging from the sound of Grao's staggered breathing, he thought he was doing ok. When his jaw got too tired he pulled off and wrapped his hand back around to finish Grao off. After Grao came, he reached down blindly and ran his hand over Tyler's hair.

 

The next time they roomed together, Grao stayed put in his own bed. Tyler said, "Hey," quietly into the dark after Coach had been by for bed check. Grao didn't answer.

 

There were guys every so often on other teams who caught Tyler's eye- a dark-haired center on the Knights, the Rangers' left winger with the fantastic smile- and Tyler let himself look, whenever they came to Ottawa. He couldn't imagine trying to get close to any of them, though.

 

The 67's made it through the first round that season, only to go out in the second. It wasn't much of a comfort.

 

Tyler and his parents flew to LA and got dressed up and sat through the whole day at the Staples Center and went back to their hotel with nothing to show for it. Tyler's dad's face was carefully blank.

"Get some rest, honey," Tyler's mom said. "You're gonna need to be fresh and ready for tomorrow, ok?"

"Yeah, Mom," Tyler said. He made himself smile at her. "See you at breakfast."

His roommate was still watching TV when Tyler got in bed. The light from the screen flickered and shifted even through his closed eyelids.

The next day they sat through more than half of the second round as well before Tyler's name was finally called. The relief lasted until Tyler sat down in an office across from the Kings' brass.

"Son, do you know why we picked you in the second round?" Lombardi said. "Why you were still available for us to pick then?"

Tyler wet his lips. "I'm not quite sure, sir."

"Your coach in Ottawa told us you have a lot of potential, but you haven't done as much as you could for your conditioning."

"I'll work on it, sir," he promised. "I'll work really hard."

"Do you need a trainer to work with you?" Murray said. "We can set you up with someone."

Tyler blinked. "I, uh. I do have a trainer for the summer, in Toronto? I'll definitely talk to him about stepping up my workout plan. Sir."

Murray and Lombardi exchanged glances.

"Ok, well, we're going to have you keep playing with the 67's for next season," Lombardi said. "Let you develop a bit more. We do like to see a strong work ethic from all our players and prospects. If you can show us that, you'll go far in this organization."

"Yes, sir," Tyler said.

 

Between the Kings' development camp, World Juniors camp, and the Kings' rookie camp, Tyler didn't even have all that much time to work on his new regimen at home. But he made himself buckle down and focus in the weeks he did have, and of course the camps were a thorough workout in and of themselves. And whether it was the conditioning work or something else, Tyler found himself on a scoring tear that season. It felt good to have his work paying off.

He still let his eyes follow guys who stood out to him, and he must have gotten less subtle about it, because some of them started calling him on it.

"You want some of this?" one of the Spitfires' defensemen sneered at him once before a faceoff. "Come and get it, I'll give it to you good." Tyler rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Don't let him get under your skin," Shane said earnestly, skating up next to Tyler. "He's just trying to rile you up saying that. We all know it has nothing to do with reality."

Tyler didn't answer that either.

 

The reaction wasn't always so hostile, though. One of the new guys on the Colts, Tanner Pearson, looked up and gave Tyler a quick flash of a smile when he saw Tyler watching him during warmups. He skated away immediately after as the puck came to him for the drill, but the look of that smile stayed with Tyler, a little warm spot in his memories.

 

"Would you try for a bond if a team wanted you to?" Sean asked.

"Fuck no," Linds said. "I'm not putting my mouth on anybody's dick, no matter what they promise."

Travis choked on his beer. "What the fuck, Linds, that's not how it works."

"You keep on thinking that," Linds said.

"Bullshit!" Travis said. "You're saying a bond comes from fucking? Like, what, you think the Selmon brothers were banging each other? That's fucked up, man."

"Noooo," Linds said. "The Selmons' bond was natural. It's when you start trying to induce that shit that it gets gay."

"I thought they just used, like, pills," Sean put in.

"Pills and 'proximity'," Jon said.

"What do you know about it?" Travis said.

Jon shrugged. "Nothing, really. Just something a buddy of mine in Barrie said once, that a couple of guys kept missing practice because the team doctors would stick them in a room together forever after they dosed them up." 

"But that doesn't mean they had to be boning," Travis said.

Linds raised his eyebrows.

"They're really trying it in Barrie?" Nick said.

"Not officially," Jon said.

"Well of course not officially," Nick said.

"You okay there, Monny?" Linds cut in. "Cheer up, your virgin ass is safe here in Ottawa."

Sean did look pale. "I, uh," he said. "I think I'm gonna-" He pushed to his feet and stumbled into the bathroom. A minute later the sound of hurling came through the half-closed door.

"Kid's gotta learn to hold his liquor," Linds said. He turned his bottle up and chugged what was left in it.

Tyler looked down at the floor and took another swallow of his own beer.

 

He didn't make the final World Juniors roster that winter- one more year when no 67's were picked. He couldn't help wondering what else he could have done to give himself a better edge. Short of suddenly forming a bond with someone, which seemed unlikely no matter how it was supposed to be done, all he could really think to do was double down on his skating and shooting practice.

 

Tyler ended up with more goals than anyone else that season, but tied for most points with a guy from Kitchener who'd played one less game. Luckily for Tyler that didn't figure into the title, so he got a share in the Powers trophy anyway. He hoped the Kings were happy with what they were seeing.

The 67's went out in the first round again, which was a bummer. But apparently someone had been paying attention to him, because the phone rang and it was Mark Morris. "Tyler?" he said. "Pack your bag, we'd like you to come to Manchester." That went a long way toward making Tyler feel better.

 

It was awkward as fuck to walk in on the end of someone else's season. At least he scored a goal, which bought him some backslaps and a little more ease in the locker room. Zatkoff even said "Nice backcheck" to him. Tyler felt his face heat up at the praise and knew he must be turning bright red. Zatkoff laughed and smacked his ass. 

Then playoffs started all over again, and unfortunately they didn't last any longer this time around. Tyler scored once, but no more, and then they were all out of chances.

"Well, Tyler," Coach Morris said. "What did you think so far?"

"It's been fantastic," Tyler said. "I mean, uh, apart from- I mean, I really appreciate the opportunity."

Coach gave him a smile, a little wan but not unamused. "Good," he said. "We'll hope to see more of you soon."

"I'm looking forward to it," Tyler said.

 

At World Juniors camp Tyler didn't have much time to think of anything besides practice. Their schedule was packed from dawn till well after dark, and at lunchtime they all fell on their food like wolves. Tyler wound up near the back of the line and had to stand there like a dumbass with his tray once he finally had it, looking for a place to sit. Luckily the guy at the end of the table nearest him looked up and moved down to make room.

"Thanks," Tyler said. The guy- it was Tanner Pearson- gave him a bright grin. Tyler caught his breath and looked away, feeling his face heat up. 

Tyler found himself watching Tanner more during drills that afternoon. He had good speed for his size, and a wickedly accurate shot. And his skating was clean as well as fast. His hair stuck out in sweaty clumps when he took his helmet off, and he still somehow looked good. He squirted water into his mouth and then held the bottle out to Tyler. "Want some?" he said.

Tyler nodded gratefully. 

Tanner skated off, calling out to one of his Colts teammates and grinning when they bumped shoulders. Tyler wished for that smile to be turned on him. He made himself look away and refocus on the drill. 

 

The Kings' rookie camp kicked his ass. It was exciting to be in LA again, but he could tell he was going to have to ramp things up even more to get back there for good.

Ottawa, on the other hand, was the same as it had ever been. Petr stoned them all in round after round of the shootout drill until Marc finally got one past him. "Whoo!" Marc yelled, wheeling back around. "Winner right here! You can all suck my dick, boys, 'cause sucking is all you do."

"That's fucking gay," Grao muttered. Tyler coughed on the water he was drinking. Grao shot him a murderous look, and then Marc and Jake turned to see what Grao was looking at.

Luckily Sean and Davey skated up just then, and everyone turned to them instead. "Where've you been, Monny?" Shane asked. 

"Trainers," Sean said. "What'd we miss?"

"Nothing worth repeating," Petr said. "Here, take your turn to shoot."

Sean scored on his first attempt. Travis laughed, and Marc rolled his eyes. Tyler made sure to keep his distance from Grao as he moved in to high-five Sean.

 

Tyler started the season well enough that he got named captain for the first game of the OHL leg of that year's Subway Super Series. All the guys slapped his back and punched his shoulders to congratulate him when the news came out. Even Coach Byrne smiled at him and said, "Make us proud, Tyler."

Tanner was named to the OHL team, too, and Tyler thought- he didn't know what he'd thought, exactly, maybe that they'd hang out, get to talk to each other, the prospect of it a little bubble of excitement growing in his chest. But it didn't matter, because none of it ended up happening. Tanner was in a weird mood, focused and tense, and he wasn't returning Tyler's glances anymore like he had been last season. They got put on the same line, and Tanner still barely even looked at Tyler outside of actual play. And he seemed to be saving his rare smiles for their other linemate, Mark Scheifele, the only other guy from Barrie on the team. 

Tyler couldn't help being a tiny bit glad that Scheifele didn't play in the second game in the Soo. Unfortunately that didn't get Tyler any more of Tanner's attention. They won both games, and everyone congratulated Tyler all over again, but even while he was riding that high, a part of him felt deflated.

 

The Colts came to Ottawa just four days later, and Tanner was still playing with a chip on his shoulder. He was lighting up the scoresheet, though, so apparently whatever that was, was working for him. Tyler scored twice and had the pleasure of leaving Scheifele in his dust as he drove in for the shorty, but Tanner got a hat trick plus three assists, including the game winner in overtime. He did look directly over at Tyler after that, and the grin on his face was the opposite of friendly.

Tyler would have been embarrassed to admit that he was picturing the fierce curve of Tanner's mouth while he jerked off that night. Luckily for him, there was no one at all likely to ask.

 

In December Tyler and Cody got the calls that they'd been cut from the World Juniors roster. Cody still had one more year of eligibility, but Tyler was all done.

He'd already been drafted. He'd already been to Manchester once, and the Kings would surely move him up again soon. He could get by without World Juniors on his stat sheet. It was fine.

Still the same old questions went around and around in his head. What could he have done better? What else could he have done? He wanted to look for any possible help to improve, and he wanted to be good enough all on his own. He _was_ going to be good enough, and that was all there was to it. 

He pulled ahead in the season scoring while the guys who'd made their national teams were playing in the tournament. It might not have been quite fair, but he didn't give a shit right then. And anyway it didn't take long for Tanner to get right back in the mix once he came back to Barrie.

 

The worst game came deep into the season. Tanner was scowling already during warmups. In the middle of the game he practically tackled Taylor, a legal hit but vicious beyond any need. Tyler and Mike both went after Tanner immediately. One of the other Colts tried unsuccessfully to yank Mike away. Then Scheifele arrived and actually did it. Tanner swung around to look at Tyler. 

Tyler made one attempt to ask what was going on, but Tanner only sneered at him, and it was all downhill from there. Tyler gave as good as he got until he took Tanner's stick to his face. While he was reeling from that, the refs swooped in and pulled them apart.

Tyler only missed one shift getting patched up. He could feel his lip swelling, and there was an ache under his cheekbone that meant he'd have a hell of a bruise before long.

 

Tyler was trying to pack up his bag as fast as he could when Petr came around the corner from the showers. "Tyler, could you- oh. You are in a hurry?"

"Uh," Tyler said. "No- I mean, you need something?"

Petr shook his head. "No, it's ok," he said. "Go talk to him."

Tyler blinked and his pulse kicked up. He'd thought he was keeping all that under wraps, but was he really just that obvious? "What are you talking about?" he said, as evenly as he could.

"Go ahead, go now, you will still catch him."

"What the fuck," Tyler said. Petr shook his head and sat down in his stall. It was too much to think about right then. Tyler zipped the bag closed, shouldered it, and stumbled out the locker room door.

 

He didn't have to search or wait around at all. Tanner was standing in the hallway fiddling with his phone. There was a little trickle of freshly-dried blood under his nose. When he saw Tyler his mouth curled into a sneer all over again. 

Tyler forgot any sort of diplomatic approach and just blurted out, "What's gotten into you? You never used to be like this. Why are you so angry all the time?" He meant it to be a challenge, but it came out just sounding kind of pathetic. He was never, ever going to be able to be cool in front of Tanner. And it didn't even really make any difference, as Tanner only snapped at him in return. 

Just as Tanner seemed ready to calm down, Scheifele tried to sneak past them. Tyler saw the moment when Tanner's eyes went from him to Scheifele, and the way Tanner's face changed then, his whole expression opening. Tyler bit his lip.

Tanner pulled Scheifele close with an arm around his waist. This was probably Tyler's best chance to see how they operated together, but it was hard to get a read on Scheifele. He had leaned into Tanner's touch readily enough, but Tanner's hand sat very lightly, almost impersonally, on his hip. 

Tyler stared a little too long, and Scheifele noticed where he was looking. "Go fuck yourself, Toffoli," Scheifele said. 

Well, if that was a sensitive spot for him, Tyler could strike right back there. Instead of answering directly, Tyler turned to look back at Tanner and said, "Hey Pears, you should try smiling a little sometimes. You're cute when you smile."

Tanner's mouth dropped open. Scheifele narrowed his eyes. Tyler still hadn't learned anything about Tanner's change of mood this season, but he wasn't likely to get anything more at this point, and he definitely wasn't going to come up with a better exit line. So he turned and walked away. He could hear Scheifele's voice in a low murmur behind him, but he was already too far away to make out the words.

When Tyler stretched his hand down to his dick that night, he pictured Tanner smiling, clear-eyed and warm, the way he had when Tyler first saw him.

 

Tyler watched the stats fiercely. Tanner kept up the pressure for a long time, but faded back shortly before the end of the season. _Good,_ Tyler told himself.

 

"Looks like we won't have to worry about Pearson in the playoffs," Marc told Tyler. Something in Tyler's stomach turned over.

"What are you talking about?"

"Broke his leg," Marc said, not unsympathetically, but with some relish in the drama.

Tyler swallowed hard. "Bummer," he said.

The accident had happened in the last game of the regular season, so it didn't really make a difference in the scoring race. It did mean there'd be no opportunity to see Tanner in the postseason, even if both teams made it that far. Tyler hadn't quite realized he'd been looking forward to that possibility until it was gone.

All told, Tyler had the most goals again, and even got to triple digits again for points, but Sgarbossa over in Sudbury beat out both him and Tanner for total points. That was in the books now, and there was nothing to do but move on.

 

They made it all the way to the third round of the playoffs before they got booted. Tyler couldn't help wishing he could have done just a little bit more, gotten them at least one step farther. But that couldn't be helped anymore either.

 

Tyler watched the draft, of course, but his attention did start to wander a bit after the first half dozen picks or so. He looked up from his phone when the Sens took Cody, and then looked back down to fire off a congratulatory text, along with a chirp about Cody being able to stay on in the same billet in Ottawa. But Tyler didn't really tune back in till the end of the day, when it was finally LA's turn to pick. The commentators made some last-minute speculations on who'd be a good fit for the team, while the camera ranged over pretty much all the same front office guys that Tyler remembered meeting two years ago. Then the announcement came. The Los Angeles Kings were proud to select, from the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League, Tanner Pearson.

Tyler blinked and stared at the screen. It was really Tanner, making his way to the front with hardly even a limp and pulling the black sweater over his head. They were going to be teammates.

 

It might have been real logic or it might have just been rationalizing, but Tyler thought it would be only right to send Tanner his congratulations, a welcome message, so to speak. The thing was that in all this time he'd never gotten close enough to get Tanner's number. So he started asking around. The first guy he tried didn't have it, but the second said, _nope sry, but ive got a buddy from kitch on the colts, hed know_. Tyler had a suspicion even before his friend sent the details over, and he was right: it was Scheifele.

Tyler weighed his phone in his hand for a minute, and then he sent off a message. _Hey this is Tyler Toffoli. Can I get Pearsons number from you?_

Instead of buzzing in response, his phone rang. "Hey," Scheifele said. Tyler was relieved to hear that his voice sounded fairly neutral, even pleasant. "You're trying to get hold of Pears?"

"Uh, yeah," Tyler said. "I thought I'd like, reach out, or whatever. Since we're going to be playing together."

"Yeah, that's pretty cool," Scheifele said. "Here, let me..." He trailed off while he was pulling up the contact, and then Tyler's phone did buzz against his ear with the incoming message. 

"Thanks," Tyler said.

"No problem," Scheifele said. "So..."

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to ask you- would you, like, keep an eye out for him next season? Just kind of look out for him a little."

Tyler bit his lip.

"Or not," Scheifele said.

"No, come on," Tyler said. "It's not that I wouldn't, but- don't you think he can take care of himself? I don't really think he needs anyone else to watch out for him."

Then it was Scheifele's turn to pause. "I guess," he said finally. "It's just, you're gonna be there with him, in Manchester and probably LA, and I'm not, and-"

"Fuck you, probably," Tyler said. "And what, are you jealous?"

"No. It's not like that."

"Ok," Tyler said.

Scheifele blew his breath out hard. "Look. In Barrie, last year, they threw us together a lot. Tried to make a connection between us. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

Tyler's throat closed up and his heart started pounding. 

"Toff?" Scheifele said.

"I've... heard some stuff," Tyler got out.

"Yeah, well, you probably heard a bunch of bullshit. But the point is, for a while there I thought it was gonna be him and me. You know?"

Tyler couldn't think of anything to say. 

"And it never actually took, not the way they wanted it to. But I'm- I'm always gonna be his friend. Even if we're not on the same team anymore."

Tyler looked out the window at the wind stirring the branches of the oaks. He had a million questions, but he didn't think it was Scheifele he should ask.

"Ok," he said finally. "But you can't keep holding that over him forever."

"I wouldn't do that!" Scheifele said, and he sounded so surprised that Tyler believed Scheifele thought he was telling the truth.

"Ok," Tyler said again.

"Anyway," Scheifele said. "Give him a call, I bet he'll be glad to hear from you."

"Yeah, I will," Tyler said. "I guess I'll see you on the ice."

"For sure," Scheifele said. 

 

Tyler went on staring out the window for a long time after he ended the call.

He remembered the way Scheifele looked at Tanner, how intense it was sometimes, even if it wasn't the way Tanner looked at Scheifele. There was still stuff there that Tyler wasn't sure he understood, but it made a little more sense now.

The thing Tyler couldn't get out of his head was that Tanner had signed on for the bond project, or whatever it was, there in Barrie. Even if he and Scheifele had never actually bonded, Tanner had been willing. 

Tyler still didn't understand how making a bond worked, and it probably wasn't how most guys seemed to think. Whatever it was, though, from the little Scheifele had said, it didn't sound like they'd had a very good time with it at all. There had been times in the last few years when Tyler had thought maybe he would have liked to have a bond to help him. Now, even just hearing Scheifele's voice when he talked about it, Tyler wasn't so sure. And in any case, Tyler was past thinking that that was what he needed in order to move up. 

So it wasn't like he was going to ask Tanner to bond with him. The thing was just the idea- the concept of a bond, and the reputation that came with it. The rumors that had scared off almost every guy Tyler knew. But Tanner had actually tried it. He'd been right up in the middle of it and had come back out the other side. Those rumors couldn't spook him anymore.

 

Tyler spent a long time trying to decide what to say in his text to Tanner. Of course as soon as he'd settled on something and sent it, he noticed he hadn't said who he was, so he sent a follow-up with his name. And then he realized that he couldn't assume he'd be the first Tyler that Tanner would think of, so he sent yet another message with his last name. Then he threw his phone down on the bed and pressed both palms to his face.

Tanner answered just a minute later, though, and it was a chirp, but a gentle one, almost friendly, nothing like their last conversation face-to-face. And he agreed to let Tyler come see him. Tyler's cheeks still felt flushed hot, but as far as achieving his objectives, the exchange could be considered a success. 

He stood in front of his dresser for a while trying to decide what shirt to wear the next day.

 

The drive to Kitchener wasn't terribly long, or at least the main part of it wasn't. The roads were clear, and the weather was fine. Tyler kept drifting off into unfocused distraction. 

He had no idea what he was going to say to Tanner. He wasn't even sure what he was hoping Tanner would say to him. He just knew he wanted to see Tanner. He'd have to see where things went from there.

The last part of the way on unhelpfully unmarked streets ended up taking twice as long as it should have. Tyler finally pulled into what he thought was the right driveway, but the GPS still kept telling him to turn around, so he started trying to pull up the map to check. That was when Tanner knocked on his window. 

So Tyler was continuing to make his best impression. Tanner was still just rolling with it, and Tyler couldn't figure out what was making the difference. Tanner seemed much calmer than he had during the season, far less drawn. Maybe just better rested. Or maybe, and this was perhaps more likely, it was the confidence that came with becoming a first-round draft pick. He led the way, not into the house, but around to the yard at the back. The day was just getting hot enough to make standing in the sun unpleasant, so though Tanner paused at a flowerbed overrun by weeds, Tyler kept on drifting back to the stand of trees at the far end. After a moment, Tanner followed.

He looked at Tyler like he expected Tyler to start the conversation. Tyler asked the first thing that popped into his head, some dumb question about mushrooms, which Tanner answered pretty curtly. Of course he would see right through stalling. So then Tyler blurted out something closer to what he really wanted to know. 

"Scheifele's not with you?"

Tanner dropped one hand to the pocket where Tyler could see the outline of his phone, but didn't get it out. "No, I don't know what he's doing today. Why?"

That was promising. But it was one thing for Scheifele not to insert himself into Tanner's day, and another for Tanner not to miss him there. Tyler hesitated while Tanner's eyebrows rose impatiently. 

"You might get mad," Tyler said.

Tanner rolled his eyes. "I won't," he said. "Just spit it out."

Tyler took a deep breath. "I wanna know if you're over him yet," he said.

Tanner's eyes flashed, but he wasn't frowning. "You've got it all wrong."

"Oh yeah?"

Tanner glanced back at the house. He put a hand on Tyler's shoulder, pushing him deeper into the shade, and then backed him up against a tree trunk. The bark was rough against Tyler's back through his thin T-shirt.

"More or less," Tanner said. "It's complicated."

Tanner had stepped up close, holding Tyler in place with both his hands on Tyler's shoulders. Tyler could feel the warmth coming off Tanner's body. Tanner hadn't really answered him at all, and Tyler didn't dare make anything out of those two points of contact, but the way Tanner had reached for him had drained a lot of Tyler's anxiety away. He leaned his head back against the trunk. "Oh, well," he said, "that clears it all up."

Tyler was almost grinning by now, but Tanner was still staring him down like a challenge. "What about you?" Tanner said.

"What do you mean?"

Tanner just kept staring.

He had to know- he had to!- that Tyler wasn't stuck on anyone but him. And the very fact that Tyler had come here should have made it obvious that Tyler wasn't over him at all. All Tyler's fears came rushing right back again. "Don't make fun of me," he said. 

"I'm not," Tanner said. "I just wanna know how it started. I mean, we barely knew each other."

He was right, but that didn't make it easier for Tyler to answer. "I liked the way you looked," Tyler said slowly. "I mean, when we started playing each other, your first season- you looked like a good kind of guy. I guess I sort of built up this mental image of you, or something."

"Oh god," Tanner said. "I hope it wasn't too much of a disappointment when you actually met me." 

Tyler shrugged. "It's not like there was _that_ much buildup. It was just a crush."

"Was?" Tanner said. "Or is?"

Tanner hadn't shown any sign of the past season's hostility today, and yet Tyler still couldn't shake the fear that Tanner might make fun of him, might use this against him somehow. "I'm not some teenager with a dumb crush anymore."

"I dunno," Tanner said, "I'd say you kind of still are." There was no sting in his tone, though, and he laid his hand on Tyler's arm, pressing his fingertips into Tyler's biceps. "I think we're gonna get along fine from now on. You wanna know why?"

"This oughta be good," Tyler made himself say. Tanner's hand was very warm. "Why?"

"Because for the longest time I couldn't stand you."

"What?" Tyler said. "Rude, why would you even- That doesn't make any sense."

Tanner didn't answer. Instead, he let go of Tyler's arm and lifted his hand to Tyler's mouth, not quite touching. "Did you heal from that ok?"

It must have been the power of suggestion that made Tyler's long-healed lip ache again. "Yeah," he said, more shakily than he wanted to, "but that doesn't mean I've forgiven you."

"Sorry," Tanner murmured, and bent forward. 

"Wait!" Tyler said. In the next moment he could have smacked himself, wishing he had just shut up and not tried to stop what he'd wanted to happen for so long. But he couldn't stand to have something start and then have Tanner realize his mistake and drop him again. "We're going to be playing together. Are you sure it's a good idea to do this?"

Tanner's mouth curved sharply upward. "I don't care," he said. "I honestly could not give less of a shit about what I should or should not be doing." And before Tyler could say anything else, Tanner leaned in and kissed him. 

Tyler gasped into Tanner's mouth. Tanner kissed him again, and again. Tyler's mind was whirling and Tanner was still kissing him, freely, eagerly, like he wasn't afraid of it, like he wasn't afraid to want it.

Tyler brought his own hands up to Tanner's waist but still couldn't quite make himself take hold. He needed to ask one more time, to be sure. "Don't you think you oughta care?"

Tanner ran his fingers into Tyler's hair, and Tyler was glad that he'd decided to try growing it out. Tanner's thumb swept across Tyler's temple. He leaned in and caught Tyler's lips again. "Nope," he said then, barely drawing back, "and I'll tell you why. I'm not a Colt anymore. I'm a goddamn King."

Tyler got lost in Tanner's mouth on his, Tanner's hands framing his face, Tanner's thigh pressing between his own. He was so far gone that it took him a minute to pick up the thread again when Tanner said, "and so are you," into his ear.

"Yeah!" Tyler said belatedly. He let his hands slide a little further down Tanner's hips. Tanner laughed softly, and Tyler pressed his lips to the curve of Tanner's neck, because it was there and because he knew now that Tanner might shiver but wouldn't flinch. "Fuck yeah," he said. "We're gonna fucking _rule_."


End file.
